VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton Says US will Discuss Response to N

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wrapped up her Africa trip in Cape¹ Verde with talks that included how best to respond to this month's constitutional referendum in Niger. Niger's president is changing the constitution to extend his time in office.
　
US secretary of State, Hillary Clinton

Cape Verde Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira Neves says the Economic Community of West African States defends strict compliance² with constitutional order and respect for the rule of law.

As for the constitutional referendum in Niger, the prime minister says ECOWAS will have to discuss whether to follow through on the threat of sanctions against the government of President Mamdou Tandja. But he says the firm position of the regional alliance is to respect the democratic rules of the game and the constitution. He says ECOWAS should not tolerate disrespect for those rules.

Niger's electoral commission says more than 92 percent of voters approved changes to the constitution allowing President Mamadou Tandja to run for re-election.

Niger's parliament and its constitutional court both told the president that removing term limits would be illegal. President Tandja dissolved both bodies and now rules by decree.

Mr. Tandja says the referendum was a matter between himself and the people of Niger, a direct dialogue that did not include his political opponents or the international community.

But the international community has expressed its displeasure with his move. The European Union suspended aid because it says the government is committing "grave violations³" of the rule of law and democratic values. ECOWAS is threatening sanctions.

Secretary Clinton told reporters that the Obama administration is working with partners, including ECOWAS, to decide the best way forward in Niger.

"That is always a challenge as to whether you try to sanction and isolate⁴ them and lose influence with them," she said. "It is an issue for the countries in ECOWAS. It is obviously an issue for us. Or whether you take a very hard line against them to try to force changes coming in from below within the government. So we are looking at the closely. We haven't yet made a determination as to the best way forward."

President Tandja's second term expires in December. Once he follows through on constitutional changes approved by the referendum, he will be allowed to run for another three-year term and run again after that if he likes.

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

3 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

4 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。